Defective Vehicle Watch: Automakers in for Some Major Recalls

Officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have called for a recall of all 1993 to 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees and the 2002 to 2007 Jeep Libertys for a fault gas tank design. The Administration says that these vehicles are a danger to consumers, according to CNN.
Officials with the Chrysler Group, however, are refusing to issue a recall, leaving more than 2.5 million of these questionable vehicles on our roadways.

Our Asheville personal injury attorneys understand that this is the first time since 1996 that an automaker has so challenged the safety agency. They say that they’ve been working with the NHTSA on various safety concerns since 2010. Chrysler’s defense is that the gas tank design is the same that’s used in a number of other SUVs out there and will make no difference in the event of an accident — unless it is a high-speed accident, in which case all bets are off, regardless of make or model.

Ford has also been forced to recall close to 500,000 vehicles for fuel leak issues. The recall involves the Lincoln MKS, MKT and MKZ as well as the 2013 Ford Fusion, Flex, Taurus and the Explorer.

The company says that it’s not aware of any incidents in which a fuel leak in its vehicles caused any fires, accidents or injuries. They do admit to having more than 600 complaints about this leak though.

In July of last year, the Ford motor company recalled close to 12,000 of its 2013 Escapes because of a defect in the fuel line that could have caused a fire. Back then, the company took the unusual step of telling drivers not to even get behind the wheel until the problem was fixed. Drivers were not offered this same advice in the latest recall.

In the MKZ recalls, the insulation on the engine block heater is prone to crack in low temps. In the Fusion recalls, there is a risk for steering problems because of the lack of an internal retaining clip.

It’s problems like these that remind us why it’s so important that we’re up to date with the latest recall information. You’re urged to check the SaferCar.gov website frequently for the latest recalls. On this site, you can check safety materials regarding vehicle defects, child restraint problems, tire issues and problems with other vehicle-related equipment. Make sure you’re keeping an eye on all of the vehicles within your family to help to avoid any problems or accidents.Contact the accident attorneys at Lee Law Offices, P.A. if you or someone close to you has been injured in an accident. Call 1-800-887-1965 to speak to an injury lawyer today.